Rangitāiki River Scheme Review – recommendations actioned
Friday 15 February 2019
Sixteen months after receiving the findings of the Rangitāiki River Scheme Review, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council
has actioned all of the report recommendations.
The Council commissioned an independent review of its rivers and drainage infrastructure and the circumstances that led
to the 6 April 2017 breach of a stop bank on College Road, and the resulting flooding and evacuation of Edgecumbe. Sir
Michael Cullen chaired the review panel and its report was presented to Council on 3 October 2017.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s General Manager Integrated Catchments Chris Ingle presented a report to Council
yesterday detailing the implementation of the review recommendations, all of which are either now completed, or embedded
in Council’s ongoing Long Term Plan delivery.
“A cross-organisation working group was formed to coordinate Council’s response to the recommendations and its progress
was reported to our Audit and Risk Committee every three months. Our focus over the last year on enacting the
Independent Review’s recommendations has greatly improved the safety and resilience of the communities that live
alongside the Rangitāiki River. It has also raised community awareness of the risks of river flood events.
Council has reviewed its catchment monitoring systems and added three new monitoring sites to increase coverage and
network resilience. We have improved our working relationship with Trustpower and refined the Lake Matahina Flood
Management Plan and protocols around safely lowering lake water levels in response to heavy rainfall. We have developed
templates for communication between our two organisations during a flood event, which have since been tested in an event
scenario exercise.”
“Among a number of technical recommendations, we completed the priority reconstruction of the College Road stopbank,
engaging a community technical advisory panel to act as an interface with the community around the flood defence design.
Our work to progress the Rangitāiki Floodway Project is ongoing as part of the wider River Scheme Sustainability
Project, and we’re committed to making sure that work involves the community and aligns with the review
recommendations,” Mr Ingle added.
Council resolved to send a copy of Mr Ingle’s report to Sir Michael Cullen, to provide assurance that the review
recommendations have been implemented.
ENDS